Syntax Magazine

SYNTAX

A PUBLICATION OF THE HARVARD GROUP

news

VOL. 5 NO. 9

ISSN 0273-2696

SEP. 1984

ISSUE

OKAY — SO IT COMES IN BAGGIES

8K Programs

Crypto . 7

2068 Programs

Headscan . 4

Hall of the Fractal

Hackers . 8

Classifieds . 10

Machine Code . 6

News . 1

New Products . 3

Software Hints
Odd Reports from all

over . 6

Scroll Call . 6

RAND USR 8 39 . 7

Vendor Report . 2

Index to Advertisers

Tom Cole . 10

TS Horizons . 7

ATTENTION

SYNTAX will definitely be
late for the next several
months. Please phone if
you want to check on the
latest issue available,
we cannot answer letters
because we can't afford
the postage. I know the
service is poor and costs
more than UK magazines. I
don't try to present this
performance as desirable.
If your budget is limited
and you want quantity, we
cannot help. If you want
excellence. I'll continue
to provide that. With a
lot of your help, SYNTAX
will survive — Kirt Olson.

In our vendor reports last month, SYNTAX said
Timex software doesn't come in baggies. Yes
it does, and honest stuff, too. As Marty
Warner-DuBay pointed out to us after getting
a flurry of phone calls from her dealers for
the licensed programs she sold in baggies,
with photocopied documentation, on ordinary
cassettes. But you can tell these legal
copies from stolen stuff because the tapes
are marked as distributed by Games To Learn
By. Marty also tells us that they will
change the packaging to use distinct features
and to include a copy of their authorization
to distribute these products.

Marty has negotiated damages from the
Canadian store which sold these unauthorized
copies and they have promised to purchase
from the authorized source from now on. We
owe Marty our thanks and our business for
keeping these programs available to us.

Ian Singer of Integrated Data Systems is
the hero of this piece — he who spent his time
& money to protect your right to participate
in only honest enterprises. You ought to get
his catalog and see if your next purchase
could return the favor.

WISH I WERE, WISH I MIGHT

Timex and Dave Higginbottem exchanged letters
preliminary to deciding the terms on which
they may want to talk. As of this writing,
no negotiations or talks are taking place.
Unofficially, we understand negotiations will
be publicly announced if they actually come
to pass. Right now, the field remains open.

NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET

Tom Woods promises you will get PRO/File's
manual, but he is not yet finished. Work on
the 100-page book proceeds regularly despite
Tom's new SyncWare News responsiblities.

1

NY OUT OF NUMBERS — ZEBRA AC CHANGED

New York City ran out of telephone
numbers so half the city will now
be area code 718. Zebra Systems
bulletin board is now 718/296-2229.
Zebra reports 1400 calls during the
first 8 weeks of operation. This
level of activity encouraged them
to upgrade from the TRS-80 Model I
to a Model 4 with 4 disk drives. A1
Hartman, SYSOP for the Zebra BBS,
says the board is full of good info
that you shouldn't miss. Call soon

SINCLAIR EXPANDS EASTWARD

Sinclair Research Ltd., is building
up its presence in the Middle East,
where its key markets are Saudi
Arabia, Egypt and the Gulf States.
Alan Miles will manage Middle
Eastern affairs for Sinclair, who
already have a distributor network
there. At the same time, John
Durnford (formerly of Commodore)
will manage the South East Asia
territory from Singapore. Sinclair
believes it has great potential in
both areas for its line of personal
computers. Existing sales exceed
3 million units, and Sinclair now
produces 150000 units monthly.

As of mid-September, QL should
be hitting the UK stores, and
export sales (that's us folk) will
follow later this year.

NATIONAL TS USER'S NETWORK TO FORM

Don Barnard of TSS is forming a new
club that promises to provide the
following services for $30/year.
o Free monthly update listing or
tape of products for your system,
o Access to databases for BBS,
Clubs, Newsletters, Product reviews
o Letter exchange lets you publish
questions and get responses through
TSS mail service.

o Assistance in forming new local
user groups by forwarding notices
through TSS to members in the area
o Network newsletter with Hints,
programming tips. Question column.

Reviews, and so on.
o Discounts on all orders from TSS
and other dealers in the program.

In addition, the network will
provide product registration to
eliminate duplication of titles and
provide dealers with information on
sources of supply and discounts.
Dealers and local user's group
leaders will be allowed to sell
memberships once they join.

VENDOR REPORT

PleasanTrees Programming continues
to supply ZX/TS software and will
introduce new 2068 titles. They
are closing out the last copies of
"Graphics A to Z," see classifieds,
this issue. You can get it later,
but photocopied & 50% more costly.

Our report from Canada proved sadly
true: Gladstone's Toronto store

sold copied software that Games To
Learn By owns exclusive rights to
manufacture, but which were not
purchased from GTLB. SYNTAX holds
physical evidence to back these
allegations. See our front-page
news story on software in baggies.

SYNTAX is delivering late again and
serving customers badly. According
to publisher Kirt Olson, "We don't
know when things will get back on
schedule. It's hard to be normal
in a market as troubled as this.
Nobody else has survived and it's
only the infinite compassion of our
loyal readers that gives us hope."

BASIC newsletter is back with an
all-games issue. Restructured as a
6-Issue per year publication, the
price is now $12.95/yr. Those who
subscribed for 12 issues will get
them all, but over an extended time

KOPAK CREATIONS took $45 from a MI
resident and does not answer his
letters. The phone is disconnected
Looks like Robert Schiller of KOPAK
is out of business.

NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Peech II Productions supplies 2068
educational software titles ranging
from VERBS to DRAWING priced under
$10. For details write them: 6333
Parkman Pi, Cincinnati, OH 45213.

Magic World Software is sole source
for INVO-STAR inventory management
system. Cassette data storage and
menu-driven functions let you print
pick lists & packing slips on your
2068 + 2040. US$15 ppd in US for

manual, listing and tape, POB 1184
Olympia, WA 98507. 206-786-1390

HYBRIDION announces LOAN$ to find
interest rate, principal, regular &
final payment, balance, term and
amortization schedules for each
payment of each year, and summaries
For info send SASE to them at 614
Linden Hill, Lindenwold, NJ 08021.

ROMSWITCH runs Spectrum programs on
2068s, plus your 2068 software.

Fits inside computer — frees edge &
cartridge connectors. Detailed
installation instructions with kit.
No soldering or drilling. Magnetic
switch, fixed at the upper right-
hand of keyboard, selects ROM. Run
some programs that won't run with a
chameleon. $54.95 ppd assembled &
tested. G. Russell Electronics,

RDl Box 539, Centre Hall, PA
16828. MC, VISA, 814-364-1325

Robert C. Fischer's T/S GRADER can
record 9 classes totalling 126
students with 60 grades each, or
412 students in 10 classes with 10
grades. Capacity grows 4.5 times
in 64K. Features MC speed, classes
loaded together, & printer output.
TS2068 version holds 68 grades per
student on 385 students. $15.95
for ZX/TS, $19.95 for 2068; both
for $29.95. Contact Fischer at 221
Scoggins ST., Summerville, NJ 30747

John and Catherine Grant wrote "The
ZX PROGRAMMERS' COMPANION", a new
book from Cambridge University

Press. The authors' company. Nine
Tiles Information Handling Ltd,
wrote the instruction manuals and
the built-in software for the ZX/TS
and Spectrum machines.

ISBN 0-521-27044-8 $11.95

Although not ZX/TS-specif ic, "The
Joy of Computer Communication" by
William J. Cook will interest our
readers with modems. $5.95 US &
$7.50 CANADA: ISBN 0-440-54412-2

Howard Sams has released the "Timex
Sinclair 2068 Intermediate/Advanced
Guide." Containing both Z8 0-general
and 2068-specific machine language,
+ material on the AY-3-8912 sound
chip and 2068 ROM calls, this book
ranks with the 2068 Tech Manual as
a "must buy." ISBN 0-672-22226-4
$9.95 + $2 . 00 P&H from Sams or SYNTAX

I. Auersbacher offers four programs
for 16K ZX/TS or 2068. Each costs
$14.95 for tape, instructions,
samples, and shipment by 1st class
mail. Math Pack I does algebraic
and vector math; Math Pack II does
calculus functions; Weathercaster/
Analyzer predicts local, short¬
term weather and related indices;
Astrology does natal horoscopes.

41 King St., Belleville, NJ 07109.

Pion Software Co. offers 2 printer-
compatible, 16K ZX/TS programs.

File Mate holds 4 00 records of 30
char, with variable item length,
search, and delete. Stock Investor
does 20 ratios, financial statement
worksheets & stock values. Tapes,
US$12.95 ea. $4.95 ea. for listings
541 Fairlawn Av Toronto, ON, Canada
M5M 1V5. 416-781-0314

Textwriter Plus 64 for 2 068 & AERCO
centronics interface will print any
char, size at any printout width.
This upgrade of TW 2000 adds, tabs,
deletes, condenses, centers & moves
blocks. Screen & printer (not
2040) show 64 columns. $29.95 with
manual. Bob Fingerle, 39639
Embarcadero, Fremont, CA 94538

3

HEADSCAN

Many programs for the 2068 use
MC to gain speed or functions not
possible in BASIC — for example:
"Flight Simulator" and "VU-File" as
sold by Timex. It's hard to make
an archival copy of these programs
(as approved by copyright laws)
when they LOAD in several sections.
Typically, these include a short,
autorunning BASIC program to LOAD
the remaining code and manage the
housekeeping functions, then an MC
section. Sometimes a title screen
LOADS between the BASIC and MC.
(Some also use two sequential BASIC
loaders — KO)

Within the BASIC program, you
often find a line like:

10 LOAD ""CODE

which LOADs the MC to the area from
which it was SAVEd. To re-SAVE the
MC, you need its start address and
length in bytes.

Before each program, you find
a 17-byte header that contains this
information. A utility program to
read this information would be very
helpful. The UK magazine Sinclair
User originally published a header
utility, but it calls Spectrum ROM
areas which differ from the 2068.

I modified the program, guided by
the 2068 Technical Manual, to call
the read-tape routines of the 2068
extension ROM.

You can read Spectrum headers
on your 2 068 with this program, but
the 2068 routine will not run on
your Spectrum. See the notes to
the assembly language listing for a
machine-code routine for Spectrum
computers .

According to section 4.2.1 of
the 2068 Tech Manual, a 17-byte
header is saved before each program
SAVE. The first byte marks program
type: 0 for BASIC, 1 for a numeric
array, 2 for a string array, or 3
for machine code. Then 10 bytes

contain the program name (that's
why you can have only 10 characters
in a program name).

Bytes 12&13 represent the full
length of the data to follow. They
are recorded in routine fashion
(byte 12+256*byte 13).

When the data reveal a BASIC
program, then bytes 14&15 show the
line number from which the program
autoruns — if (byte 14+256*byte 15)
is >0 and <9999. If the data is
for MC, then (byte 14+256*byte 15)
gives the start address of the
code specified when it was SAVEd.

Bytes 16&17 reveal the BASIC
program length without variables.
(In terms of system variables, the
value is VARS-PROG). These 2 bytes
equal zero for all other
possibilities .

Disassembly of the tape read
routine reveals some interesting
things. The IX register holds the
address to which data is loaded
from tape (starting at 64060 for
this program). Since the Utility
Function Dispatcher depends upon
the IX register, we cannot call the
tape routine via the UFD. Register
DE holds the number of bytes to be
loaded — 011H=17D. Routines from
FA0EH-FA34H are those given in the
2068 Technical Manual to call the
read-tape area of extension ROM.

Our original goal was to make
archival copies of MC programs. In

all of the following LOAD and SAVE
steps, stop the recorder as soon as
you get the 0/0 or 0 OK report and
remove or insert the tape without
rewinding. This lets you make the
copy section by section. To do so,
perform the following steps:

1. RUN HEADSCAN and read
the header information from the
BASIC portion of your favorite
program. This tells you the AUTO
RUN line number of the BASIC.

4

Write this line number down.

2. Use HEADSCAN to read information
from the header of the next part of
the original program. This will
usually be BYTES: "name", then the
data length, and start address. If
the start address=16384 and data
length=6912, then that code is a
SCREEN$ (usually the title screen.)
Write down the values for this part
of your program to use in step 8.

3. Repeat step 2 for each part of
your original program.

4. Type RAND USR 0 to completely
reset your 2068.

5. Rewind your original MC program
tape and type MERGE "" to load the
BASIC portion of the program and
block autorun. Stop the tape at
the 0/0 code. Do not rewind.

6. Remove your original tape from
the recorder and replace it with a
rewound blank. Now you key in the
command SAVE "name" LINE nn (where
nn=autorun line number found in
step 1). As soon as SAVE finishes,
stop the recorder and remove the
new tape without rewinding.

7. Replace the original tape in the
recorder and load the code from the
original by typing LOAD "" CODE.

As soon as you get the 0/0 report
at the bottom of your screen, stop
the recorder and remove your
original tape without rewinding.

8. Put the new tape in the recorder
and save the code portion of your
tape by typing:

SAVE "name" CODE aa,bb
where aa=start address and bb=data
length from step 2. Stop the tape
as soon as you get the 0 OK report.
Remove your new tape. Don't rewind.

9. Repeat steps 7 & 8 for each code
section of your program.

After you complete these steps

for each section of the original,
rewind your copy. It should behave
exactly as the original.

A Friend From Memphis

Careful reading of the TS2068
Technical Manual will reveal other
information you could extract from
the header, including variable
names and sizes for arrays saved
separately — KO.

5

ODD REPORTS FROM ALL OVER

In the machine code, the routine
named IFRT calls the extension ROM
as instructed in the 2068 Technical
Manual, the code labelled RTAP says
where to read the extension ROM.

Decimal addresses 64060 to
64076 contain the 17 bytes read
from the header. You may PEEK them
from those locations and examine
them yourself.

To use the machine code on a
Spectrum computer, change FA0AH to
read CD5605, which calls 1366D, and
forget all steps after FA0DH (=C9. )
In the BASIC version, replace each
number after the first 201 in line
9980 with either 201 or 0 (RETurn
or NOP) and replace the first
sequence 2 05,14,250,201 with the
sequence 2 05,86,5,2 01. Line 9981
can be all 0's. If your skill
permits, you can shorten the code
for the Spectrum dramatically.

SCROLL CALL — EVERYBODY UP — 2068

Alter ZX/TS SCROLL commands to
USR 2361 for the 2068, or USR 3582
for the ZX Spectrum or Emulator.

LET t=USR 2361 avoids resetting RND
as happens with each RAND USR call.

Computers, like humans, often
give confusing answers, doing the
best they can to tell you what's
wrong. Some years ago, I spent too
many hours trying to understand the
message "invalid subroutine call"
in a program with no subroutines.

As it turned out, I exceeded the
default length of variable names on
the particular machine, and it did
the best it could to tell me where
I had erred in this case.

When you use USR calls, you
transfer absolute control of the
machine to the address specified,
and the function expects a RETurn
instruction that will provide a 2-
byte, unsigned integer as the value
returned in the BC register pair.

But try 10 LET T=USR 832 right
after you do a NEW on your ZX/TS.
Surprise! You get C/10 — the text
of the string argument of VAL does
not form a valid numerical
expression. VAL? What string?

What's happened is that the
answer couldn't be assigned as you
demanded, so the computer tried to
see if it could treat the answer as
a string to be evaluated before
assignment. It could not, and told
you so — answering a question you
did not know you had asked. This
happens on the way back from the
call, not before executing the code
starting at 832.

Perhaps some ROM-dweller out
there can give us an even clearer
picture of all this. Until then,
remember — the computer always does
exactly as it should. Even a truly
malfunctioning machine executes its
broken cycles perfectly — though not
always understandably.

Thermodynamics says you can't
win, you can't break even, and you
can't get out of the game — but you
can learn. Observe, don't judge.

6

)

1

,/

1

Each issue brings you 32 pages o-f usable in-formation, program
listings, product reviews, programming articles, hardware
projects, and applications tor your computer. T-S HORIZONS
-features nationally known authors like Paul Hunter, Gordon
Young, and others. The price is ONLY *15.00 tor a full year
(12 issues). AND -for a limited ti me only, new su bsc r i ber s
will receive our special telecommunications issue (#7, see
below) *FREE* with their subscription.

]N _

Byte Back Modem Review
2068 Programming Tips
How a Comp i 1 er Works
Te 1 ecommumi cations
■for Beginners
Book & Game Reviews
Rotating Globe Routine
Articles By G . Young
and Paul Hunter
Sinclair ln-fo. Network
TS-1000 Power Supply
-and more 1 1 '

T-S HORIZONS

_ — ^ _f °£ J.2_mon_t hjl y_ i_ssue_s -_*2 ._00_s_amp 1 e or_bacj< _i ssues^

Enclose *15 (US) For 12-issue

subscription, plus *FREE* back NWiE _

issue (while supplies last).

*21 Canada, *25 other Foreign. ADDRESS _

Extra back i ssue/sampl e « *2.00

CITY _

SEND TO i T-S HORIZONS

2002 Summ i t St STATE.ZIP _

PORTSMOUTH , OH 45662

CRYPTO — 8K/2K

This sophisticated coder and
decoder runs in only 2K. Use it
for fun as a stand-alone program,
or create a subroutine to make your
datafiles unintelligible without
the keyword. Of course, keywords
must exist somewhere, here it's Y$,
and the program clears it after
each run. When you make a data-
protection subroutine, reset Y$.

Take the keyword out when you
SAVE the program — set Y$ to some
new value — and remember the exact
keyword or you can't crack the
code. Trying to decode after you
reset Y$ produces garbage.

T’SHiniinj

Ai|*st N»-7 JL25

YTWUErJ

TS 2061

IS- 1000/ ISO!

PR0CR A MS
TIPS

BANK SWITCHING -4
“WORM CONCLUDED

Ruatrs l Cmip Nc« Calaaa

T-S HORIZONS *7

Both the keyword and message
may be of any length, but you can't
use any of the graphics characters.
You may use A-Z, spaces, 0-9, and
any of .,:;$<>()+- = ?* in either key
or message.

Imre Auersbacher, Belleville, NJ

7

HALL OF THE FRACTAL HACKERS — 2068

Based on the Sep.84 Scientific
Amer ican computer software issue,
the first of these programs creates
fractal patterns using the method
described on page 156. Byte also
published an article on fractal
geometry, accompanied by a BASIC
program which SYNTAX translated for
your 2068. (Byte, Sep.84, p 172)

Fractal Rocks

Our first program starts with
one large triangle, then locates
and displaces the midpoint of each
side, creating a 6-sided figure.
Connecting the displaced midpoints
creates 4 triangles. Repeating the
process on each of the 4 creates 16
from which we make 64 and on up to
1024. The final figure consists
solely of triangles.

Roughness of the figure, the
amount by which midpoints move, is
controlled by the first DATA item
of line 10. Six more DATA points
set the vertices of the initial
triangle using x,y coordinates in
the same units as for PLOT and DRAW
on the 2068. You can change any of
these to get different results.

Lines 30-80 locate a midpoint
& move it by a random displacement
proportional to both length and the
ruggedness parameter. The program
from 120-190 plots the rock after
each stage of fracturing. From
line 220-260 the program moves the
previous x,y points up in memory to
make room for the next midpoints,
and from 270-330 the program picks
triangles to be fractured. At the
end 1584 lines connect 561 points
forming 1024 triangles.

Each time you RUN you get a
different picture. You'll see the
midpoint dots being put in place at
each step. To get colored rocks,
just change the INK in line 120 and
in line 210.

Watching rocks form may be
addictive. This program takes a
little over three minutes to run
and the final result is copied.

Blanchard D. Smith, Alexandria, VA
Fractal Tracks

Our second program traces the
motion of points in the x-y plane,
thus generating curves whose shape
does not depend on size — the entire
curve consists of like-shaped
components. Greg Turk published an
Applesoft BASIC version of this
program in BYTE (Sep.84) and you
should refer to that magazine for a
full description and an excellent
article by Peter Sorenson.

This program demonstrates how
to do complex numbers in x+jy
notation on your 2068. The x-y
plane you view is the complex plane
and whatever insight you have into
complex numbers will serve you in
playing with this program.

Apples number the screen such
that 0,0 is top left and 159,279 is
bottom right. We did not alter the
code to erect the figures on 2068's

When you RUN the program, you
must supply lambda, which is a
complex number and thus needs an x
and a y value. Most of our tests
used numbers between +/- Pi for xy-
components of lambda. Either may
be zero. Scale is a single number
that shrinks the picture. Large
values make small pictures.

The program doesn't check or
fix values that cause intermediate
results to be too large, just live
with the error reports & try again.
Enter 2,0,3 to test the program — it
gives a circle — then try as many as
you wish. Some patterns take 15-60
minutes to show fully, others
repeat within the resolution of
your screen and you may see only a
handful of points — KO.

8

IT’S FAST IN SLOW MODE
INCREDIBLE IN FAST MODE

THE BEST FILING PROGRAM FOR YOUR 2X81 , TS1000,
TS1500 OR YOUR MONEY BACK

INTRODUCING

FdSTFILE

PROFESSIONAL DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Holds more data than you ever thought possible!

* Written in 100% machine code, absolutely no basic.

* Up to 255 fields, 512 characters/records.

* Full printer functions. Use with Timex 2040 printer or any printer
that accepts the LPrint statement.

* Output can be formatted to. your exact specifications.

* 100% menu driven.

* Several files allowed in memory at the same time.

* Four data types: fixed point decimal, integer, character and packed
character for super compact storage.

* Complete and/or query system.

* Super fast shell sort.

* Meaningful error messages like “Error: Integer Too Large”
instead of the cryptic “B/740”.

* Comes with a ready to run checkbook application which can store
over 400 checks in 16K!

* Comprehensive manual includes explicit application notes so that
even a novice can use FASTFILE as a checkbook balancer,
appointment scheduler/calendar, address book, inventory con¬
trol, coupon/refund files, mailing labels and more applications
you will invent as you use it!

To order send $19.95 plus $2.00 P&H for cassette and

manual: Tom E. Cole, 1 314 Speight -15, Waco, TX 76706.

Texans add local tax.

CLASSIFIEDS

COVERED ZX FEEDTHROUGH CONNECTORS
Connector, extender circuit board,
cover with side cable exit & screws
as used on MW100 printer. $10 ppd
In stock, new — ORDER FROM SYNTAX.

ACZ GENERAL LEDGER (Reveiwed SYNTAX
5/84). TS1000 $31.45 ppd. Expanded
TS2068 Version $41.45ppd.SASE/Inf o
C-TECH POB 38553 #178 HOU. TX 77238

We are EXPANDING our support of all
TS computers. Send for FREE catalog
from D. Lipinski Software, 2737
Susquehanna Road, Roslyn, PA 19001

TORONTO SOFTWARE WORLD has TS1000,
TS2068, and SPECTRUM (for owners of
emulators) products at low prices!
Send for details: Box 84, Dept. 2,
Agincourt, Ontario, Canada. MIS 3B4
(please indicate type of computer
and emulator if applicable)

2068 PROGS. $6 EA. SASE FOR LIST TO
PROGS. R9 BX 1125 FRANKLIN NC 28734

Buffered buss expansion bare board
$40 and I/O bare board $10 both for
ZX81/TS1 000/15 00 and I/O for TS2068
too. Both ppd with documentation.
Budget Robotics & Computing, Box
18616, Tucson, AZ 85731.

UTILITY PROGRAMS - MACHINE LANGUAGE
-Cassette tape data file read/write
-Save and load variables by name
-BASIC save/merge/erase and overlay
+ others. 100's of satisfied users.
Prices from $5 to $15 each cassette
SASE for details SIRIUSWARE

6 Turning Mill, Lexington, MA 02173

Quality Software for ZX/TS. WMJ
Data Systems, 4 Butterfly Dr.,
Hauppage, NY 11788. Free List.

LAST COPIES OF GRAPHICS AtoZ (12/83

SYNTAX) $21ea w/P&H - Pleasantrees

Programming: POB 7345, Mesa, AZ 85206
*SASE for 2068/1000 titles we stock

AERCO DISC INTER, Drive/Cabi, Power
Sup, S-Ware: $300 Jim 404-921-3992

LOAN$ computes principal, int. rate
reg. /final pmts., term, balance and
complete amortization schedules.
MATMAN performs matrix functions:
add/ sub/mult/ invert/transp/determ.
16K TS1000/2068:$15.95 ea(check/MO)
for CC/doc/LISTing. HYBRTDTON. 614
Linden Hill, Lindenwold, NJ 08021.

2068 BASIC Toolkit: Prog, renumber,
BASIC vars list, string search, str
replace, REM kill. In MC.$19.95ppd.
2068 Disassembler: MC for fast list
to scrn or prtr,ZILOG mnemon., ROM
bank-switch ,labeling&more . $15 . 95ppd
SASE for inf o: J.C.KILDAY ASSOCIATES
Central Ave., Peaks Island, ME 04108

BEST CHKBOOK/BUDGET MANAGEMENT YET
*Categor ize , Balance , Search , Total,
Edit**5 00 files(16K)** $15 R.Nelb
30 Whitney Ridge, Hamden, CT 06518

SERIOUS BUSINESS SOFTWARE for ZX81,
T/Sl 0 0 0 ,T/ S15 0 0. Send S.A.S.E. for
catalog to: A.F.R. Software, 1605
Penna. ,Av. ,204 , Miami beach , FI . 33139

lO

SYNTAX is published monthly by a wholly-

owned subsidiary of The Harvard Group.

Syntax ZX80, Inc.

RD 2, Box 457, Harvard, MA 01451.

Telephone 617/456-3661.

Publisher:
Editor:
Consulting Editor:
Technical Consultant:

Kirtland H. Olson
Eric K. Olson
Ann L. Zevnik
Kirtland H. Olson

© Syntax ZX80, Inc., 1984. All rights reserved.
Photocopying prohibited. ISSN 0273-2696

OUR POLICY ON CONTRIBUTED MATERIAL

SYNTAX invites you to express opinions related to any Sinclair or Timex com¬
puter or peripheral, or the newsletter. We will print, as space allows, letters discuss¬
ing items of general interest. Of course we reserve the right to edit letters to a
suitable length and to refuse publication of any material.

We welcome program listings for all levels of expertise, written in either Sinclair
BASIC or Z80 machine code. Programs can be for any fun or useful purpose. We
will test run each one before publishing it, but we will not debug programs; please
send only workable listings. Ptograms submitted on cassette can be tested more
quickly and with less chance of error.

In return for your listing, we will pay you a token fee of $2.00 per program we
use. This payment gives us the nonexclusive right to use that program in any form,
world wide. This means you can still use it, sell it, or give it away, and so can we.

We will consider submissions of news and hardware or software reviews. Please
keep articles short (350-400 words). Again, we reserve the right to edit accepted
articles to suitable length. We will pay 7 cents per 6 characters, including spaces and
punctuation, for accepted articles.

When you send in articles for possible publication in SYNTAX, please include
the following information:

• How to operate the program, including what to input if it does not contain
prompts.

• Whether you can run the program over again and how.

• How to exit the program.

• The Syntactic Sum (program published in June 81;
send SASE for a free copy).

• What RAM size program requires.

• What ROM program uses (8K, 2068, Spectrum).

• For MC programs, what addresses must change to relocate the code and what
ROM calls are used.

We pay for this explanatory text at the same rate as we pay for articles in addi¬
tion to payment for the program itself.

If you want us to return your original program listing or article, please include
a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Otherwise, we cannot return submitted material.

TASMAN CENTRONICS printer interface
Lets you run full size printers w /
your 2068. Encased unit has all
cables+sof twar e needed. Allows use
of LPRINT, LLIST keyboard commands,
COPY with RAND USR call. Price: $90
Package Deal: $30 OFF interface if
ordered with Prowriter printer. Get
details free.

Tom Woods Box 64 Jefferson, NH 03583

* * * A NEW BOOK FOR THE T/S * * *
MACHINE LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING ON THE
TIMEX/SINCLAIR 1000 + 1500 (+ZX81).
The key to using (or avoiding) the
ROM. 250 pages include ROM catalog,
Z80 programming, and many examples.
Available in Fall for $14.95. Order
now for $12.95. Add $1 shipping.
Send SASE for chapter outline.

David B. Wood SIRIUSWARE

6 Turning Mill, Lexington, MA 02173

2050 Modem, driver sw & free Source
memshp $114.95 frm Orion Computers
Rt 2 Box 318 Louisville, TN 37777

** TS1000 PLUG in EPROM SOFTWARE **
OUICKLOAD CARTRIDGE $29.95

save/load 16K in 30 seconds
15 times faster than normal 16K req
ZXPROFILE CARTRIDGEWOUTCKT.OADS39 .95
Thomas Woods Data Base Manager

Other products send SASE CATALOG
Add $4.00 Shipping/handling
ROMPAK INC

1525 AVIATION BLVD SUITE Alll
REDONDO BEACH CA 90278

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These offers expire 12/15/84 — SUBSCRIBE NOW.

DON'T MISS OUT AGAIN...

Last year we did a special on these great
impact printers by Mindware and it was a
sellout. Now we managed to get a few more
new printers — but Mindware's gone, they'll
never make any more — get yours quick.

You can have a plain-paper, hard-copy
printer that plugs right onto your ZX/TS
with no interface and uses LLIST, COPY and
LPRINT without any extra driver soft-ware.
This complete printer costs less than most
interfaces and uses cheap, standard adding
machine paper you can get in stationery
stores. Use a Radio Shack 26-3507 ribbon
or Sharp pocket computer equivalent.

Think of it — program listings, labels,
sample screen outputs — everything you need.
And your new printer produces all the ZX/TS
characters, even graphics — the only impact
printer we know of that does the entire ZX
character set without programming.

Your MW-100 runs on 9 volts dc. If you've
been looking for a printer to use in your
car, this is it! Use your ZX/TS with your
MW— 100 to keep those IRS mileage logs — you
can deduct business use of your car and
your computer.

Print in three soft ware— controlled modes:

0 for listings — folds your 32-character
screen into two 16-character lines, 1 for
screen copies — prints the left half-screen
first, then the right half (you tape them
together), (2 was never installed), 3 for
copying only columns 1—16 of the screen.

Use your computer to log data or run your
home security system, with a hard copy of

THE

H\RV\RD

GROLP

Bolton Road. Harvard. Mass 01451

>

CD

every event. Maintain address files using
your MW-100 to create a paper transaction
log just like big systems do. Print price
tags, receipts, nametags or tickets. Lots
of useful and fun applications. You know
how much you need this — act now or buy
another kind. Listed at #119.95, you pay
just #55+#5 shipping and handling.

One more thing, when you buy an MW-100 you
may, at the same time, buy any back issues
of SYNTAX or SQ you need for only
#2. 50/issue plus a #10 handling fee.

Quan Code Item _ _ _ Price Amt

SD2 Super Deal II: SYNTAX
Nov. 80 to Dec. 84 plus #126

3 SQ plus 2 binders

MW-100 plain-paper printer
w/manual + ps (new, gtd ok) #55

I also want to purchase:

_ PAK ZX 16K RAMpak Defective? #15

ZXK ZX81 Makes Cursor w/PSP #25
DZX Dead ZX81 fll5~

PSU 700mA Desktop PS gtd OK ~#Io"
We pay all P+H for P+H (fl5/item)~
SD2 _ TOTAL

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